The objects had previously been looted from sacred places, such as temples and shrines, and given as gifts to the city’s museum collection.
A ceremony was held in Glasgow, Scotland, to officially repatriate seven Indian cultural artifacts looted during the British colonial era.
Dignits from the High Commission of India joined members of Glasgow Life, the charity that manages the Scottish city’s museum collections, at the transfer of ownership ceremony on Friday, more than 18 months of negotiations.
Six of the items were stolen from northern India in the 1800s, and a seventh was illegally purchased after being stolen from its original owner.
All seven objects were looted from sacred places, such as temples and shrines, and given as gifts to the Scottish city’s museum collection.
Duncan Dornan, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, said: “Glasgow has been leading repatriation efforts in the UK since 1998.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Indian authorities for the safe return of these artefacts.”
With the efforts of the High Commission, Indian artefacts are being repatriated from the UK. We recognize @glasgowlife to facilitate this process. #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav #itscominghome pic.twitter.com/9aKP2N09Cc
– India in the UK (@HCI_London) August 19, 2022
In total, Glasgow is set to return 51 items to the descendants of their rightful owners from India and Nigeria, as well as the Cheyenne and Oglala Sioux river tribes in the US state of South Dakota.
In March, Glasgow City Council apologized for the city’s role in the Atlantic slave trade, after a study into the streets, buildings and individuals involved in the practice.
Glasgow’s commitment to repatriation is part of a broader re-evaluation of the origins of items in Western museums, amid anti-apartheid movements around the world.
Earlier this year, two British universities returned two Benin coins, looted by British colonialists in the 19th century, to Nigeria.
